Asad Ahmad

Ahmad was born on 28 November 1969 to Pakistani parents in London. He was educated at The John Roan School on Maze Hill in Blackheath, southeast London, followed by the University of Bristol, where he studied law.{{citation needed|date=July 2018}}

Before his media career, Ahmad worked as a Foreign Exchange dealer in the City of London, and as a researcher in the House of Lords.[http://www.mosaicnetwork.co.uk/asad-ahmad/ BBC London, 5 September 2008]

Ahmad began his media career at the BBC on the News Trainee Scheme in 1996 before working at BBC Birmingham as a Political Reporter and TV Presenter on BBC Midlands Today.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2005/05/04/asad_ahmad_person_profile.shtml|title=Asad Ahmad}} Before joining BBC London, Ahmad presented editions of BBC Scotland's flagship news programme Reporting Scotland as well as news bulletins on BBC Breakfast.{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/biographies/biogs/london/asadahmad.shtml |title=Asad Ahmad |publisher=BBC Press Office |date=July 2007 |access-date=24 July 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20090218152240/http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/biographies/biogs/london/asadahmad.shtml |archive-date=18 February 2009 }} He was one of the launch presenters and correspondents for Newsnight Scotland. He became the BBC's Scotland Correspondent, during which time he covered the Foot and Mouth outbreak, and riots in the North of England.

Ahmad moved to London to work as a reporter for BBC Breakfast before joining the presenting team with Moira Stuart, Jeremy Bowen, Sophie Raworth, Sarah Montague and Darren Jordon. He also presented the News round-up on Breakfast with Frost and rolling news on BBC News with Sian Williams.{{cite web|url=http://tvpresenters.thetvroomplus.com/channel-85.html |title=British and Irish TV Talent |publisher=The TV Room + |access-date=24 July 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120716134825/http://tvpresenters.thetvroomplus.com/channel-85.html |archive-date=16 July 2012 }}

Ahmad is an ambassador for the Prince of Wales's Mosaic charity.{{Cite web|url=http://www.mosaicnetwork.co.uk/asad-ahmad/|title = Asad Ahmad • Prince's Trust Mosaic}} He is also an ambassador for the Prince of Wales's British Asian Trust.[http://www.britishasiantrust.org/media-centre/top-bbc-journalists-join-the-british-asian-trust/7692/]{{dead link|date=July 2017|bot=InternetArchiveBot|fix-attempted=yes}}

Ahmad has become involved in a working party looking at homelessness in the capital.{{Cite web |url=http://www.bitc.org.uk/sites/default/files/sib_annual_review_2006.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=11 January 2015 |archive-date=18 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140418155019/http://www.bitc.org.uk/sites/default/files/sib_annual_review_2006.pdf |url-status=dead }} He has appeared on radio presenting on the BBC Asian Network.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/asiannetwork/bestbits/ |title=Best Bits|publisher=BBC Asian Network |access-date=4 August 2007| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070828140237/http://www.bbc.co.uk/asiannetwork/bestbits/| archive-date= 28 August 2007 | url-status= live}} He has also previously presented the Newsdrive programme on BBC Radio Scotland, and he has been shortlisted several times for awards for his special reports on BBC Radio.

Other programmes Ahmad has presented include a late night discussion programme for BBC Choice, Newsline Scotland, East for BBC2, music and current affairs programmes including a Pakistan earthquake special programme for BBC1.

Ahmad was invited by the US State Department to take part in their International Visitor Leadership Programme in 2006, where he delivered lectures.{{cite web |url=http://www.gciv.org/featured_ahmad.htm |title=Visitor from the UK Offers New Insight |publisher=Georgia Council for International Visitors |access-date=24 July 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070928142439/http://www.gciv.org/featured_ahmad.htm|archive-date = 28 September 2007}} He is also a patron of the charity Working With Words.{{cite web |url=http://www.workingwithwords.org/patrons.htm |title=Patrons |publisher=Working With Words |access-date=24 July 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070928225525/http://www.workingwithwords.org/patrons.htm |archive-date = 28 September 2007}}

Ahmad was the 2006 Royal Television Society Reporter of the Year for London. He has been nominated for a BAFTA for News Programme of the Year {{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/14643vBvp0lpbmcBKZMtHgB/asad-ahmad|title=BBC One - BBC London - Asad Ahmad}} and was shortlisted for an Ethnic Multicultural Media Awards (EMMA) for Best Radio News Journalist.{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/racism/Story/0,,222627,00.html |title=The Ethnic Multicultural Media Awards Nominations |work=The Guardian |publisher=Guardian News and Media|date=19 May 2000 |access-date=24 July 2007}}[https://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2002/05_may/08/emma_awards.shtml A host of great names attend The EMMAs 2002 on BBC TWO] BBC Press Office, 8 May 2002

In 2007, Ahmad faced an allegation of harassment which he strongly denied stating that the allegation was "false". He refused offers of a caution by the Metropolitan Police opting to take the case to court. The Crown Prosecution Service offered no evidence and forensic evidence cleared Ahmad of any wrongdoing. He was told he could leave the court "without a stain on his character". The CPS was ordered to pay Ahmad's legal costs.{{cite web |title=CPS drops BBC presenter's harassment case |date=27 July 2007 |website=The Guardian |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210411033105/https://www.theguardian.com/media/2007/jul/27/broadcasting.television |archive-date=11 April 2021 |url-status=live |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2007/jul/27/broadcasting.television}}

Ahmad was due to run the 2008 London Marathon in aid of WaterAid, but had to pull out due to sustaining a knee injury.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2007/12/12/asad_marathon08_feature.shtml Marathon Man] BBC London, 9 April 2008

Ahmad suffered a motorcycle accident in 2008, sustaining a serious head and brain injury. He was almost paralysed and must now use a walking stick to help his overall balance.[https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/14643vBvp0lpbmcBKZMtHgB/asad-ahmad BBC profile]

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2005/05/04/asad_ahmad_person_profile.shtml Asad Ahmad profile] BBC London, 5 September 2008

Category:BBC newsreaders and journalists

Ahmad, Asad

Category:People educated at the John Roan School

Category:Alumni of the University of Bristol

Category:1969 births

Category:Date of birth missing (living people)